One of the most important subjects for children in school is math. Unfortunately, for many children, it can also be the most difficult. It is important that as a parent, you help them to understand math concepts. Even if you are no math genius yourself, if you know the basics, you can give them a good head start. Here are some tips and resources that will help you teach math to your kids.

Tips

1. Start with an Activity – The first thing to do is to have an interactive activity, such a flashcards or even a page of simple problems. Give little ones objects to count, and show them how to count on their fingers.

2. Go at a Consistent Pace – You can’t just show them something once and expect them to remember it. You need to keep teaching until they know it inside and out. Take time at least a couple of times a week to go over math concepts, problems, etc.

3. Teach Concepts – Math is about more than just memorization. If they understand the concepts, they will better understand math, and it will be a lot easier for them. Learning concepts will help them as they move on to the more complicated stuff. Come up with real-world activities to show them how various math concepts work.

4. Don’t Move to Quickly – Don’t just show them how to do something and then move on to the next thing. You need to makes sure that they understand what they are being taught. There is no sense in moving on if they aren’t understanding what they are currently learning.

5. Make it a Daily Thing – You don’t have to give them daily math lessons, but you can make learning math a daily thing without them even realizing they are being taught anything. For instance, if you are out shopping, make a game out of things. Get them to guess how many cans are in a section, or how many cookies are in a box. Or, ask them how much money would be left out of $10 if you spend $3.

6. Reward Them – Everyone likes to be told they are doing a good job, especially children. Each time your child succeeds in solving a math problem or learning a new concept, reward them. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a treat. It can be as simple as a hug and a few words of encouragement, taking them to play in the park for a couple of hours, etc.

Resources

Here are some tools and resources that are ideal for elementary school students.

DreamBox Learning Math – Every child learns at a different pace, and has different learning needs. This tool helps you create game-based math that is adaptable for your child’s particular needs. Make sure they have the best tech to work with too. If necessary, sell used laptop and upgrade to a new one.

Think through Math – This is a really good adaptive learning tool. You will even have access to live support with real teachers. Students in grades three through 10 can benefit by using this math tool.

Gracie and Friends Birthday Café – It is never too early to start teaching children math skills. This tool is aimed at children in the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten phase. It is a fun and easy numbers and quantity game that makes learning math fun for little ones.

The Land of Venn - Geometric Defense – This is a fun adventure game that helps students in grades one through four learn about simple geometry concepts. Geometry is integrated into the game in a way that makes it seem more like fun than learning, but they remember, and this is the most important thing.